Computer Milage?

[TMatterer]

My actual mileage is about 1. 5 -2 mpgs less than the trip computer. When I got the truck in August it was within 1/2 or less mpg. Seemed to start getting further off after having it a couple of months. Is this because of the winter blend fuels and cold temps or something else. I wouldn't think much about it but it was so very accurate when I got the truck.

 

[thepipe1]

Mileage Difference

My overhead computer shows 21. 5 average MPG over the whole tankful. When I hand-calculate at fill up, I'm lucky to be getting 16. Although I accept that I'm still in a break-in period, why is there such a big difference?

 

[EB]

My actual fuel consumption is usually abouts 25% more than what the computer shows. 16 mpg is actually 12 mpg. I'm running the edge box and the computer was closer when it was stock. I usually get about 10 mpg loaded and 12-13 mpg empty. The truck will go over 98k on the run I have tomorrow, so the mileage will not get any better, it's well broken in.

 

[sag2]

My third tank covered 552 miles, showed 18. 4 on the overhead, 18. 7 calculated. Mostly highway miles.

 

[Tony T.]

Originally posted by EB

My actual fuel consumption is usually abouts 25% more than what the computer shows. 16 mpg is actually 12 mpg. I'm running the edge box and the computer was closer when it was stock. I usually get about 10 mpg loaded and 12-13 mpg empty. The truck will go over 98k on the run I have tomorrow, so the mileage will not get any better, it's well broken in.

EB: That's awful low unloaded if that's highway driving 12-13 mpg unless you got that flatbed loaded down and only counting being loaded pulling a trailer or doing alot stop & go in town driving. That amount of miles it should get way above that if it's highway (unloaded). Mine in town a lot of stop & go (14. 5-15 mpg) mixed town & hwy (16-17 mpg), and only one (no interstate) hwy best is (18. 8 mpg) all hand calculated with 14,000 miles on it. Computer will fluctuate any were from . 5 to1. 5 mpg.

 

[TMatterer]

Just wonder why the differance from when the truck was new and now with 10,000 miles on it.

 

[Dean Upson]

Originally posted by TMatterer

My actual mileage is about 1. 5 -2 mpgs less than the trip computer. When I got the truck in August it was within 1/2 or less mpg. Seemed to start getting further off after having it a couple of months. Is this because of the winter blend fuels and cold temps or something else. I wouldn't think much about it but it was so very accurate when I got the truck.

There was only . 1 difference between the computer and the pencil on my last fill-up. My overhead readings have been pretty close from the beginning, normally within 1 mpg, which I feel is acceptable. I do not trust it anymore than I trust any fuel gauge, but it serves as an indicator. I go by the trip odometer more than anything else. If I am empty, I fuel up around 450-500 miles and if I am towing, about 300 miles and I am looking for fuel. I can go further, but I am pretty conservative when it comes to running out of fuel .



Dean

 

[EB]

Tony T

Read your post this morning before I left on a trip to Laredo and decided to ck it.

Going over to get my trailer just running the truck my computer was showing 24mpg at 68 mph, figuring 25% off, I should have been getting 18 mpg with just the truck. I filled up about half way down there and started the mileage ck then. Here are the results.

Loaded miles showing on the computer, 12. 6. Empty miles coming back showed 14. 3. I filled up at the same place on the same pump and the actual mileage was 10. 4. I seldom go any distance with just the truck and my trailer weighs 7000 empty. I run the edge on level 4. I changed it to level 2 after I got back and will ck it there. I have never been able to get the mileage people say they get, but my truck weighs 8200 and my trailer weighs 7000 so I am weighing 15,200 before anything is put on my trailer and like I said, the trailer is behind me 90% of the time. Will keep you posted on the different power settings.

 

[lil red cummins]

well i am glad i am not alone. my over head mileage had been reading around 20 + from new. i didnt do an actual calculation for the first couple fillups. actual mileage at fill last week was 17. 4.

i reset the computer when on the turnpike earlier this week and it actually read around 22+ for a while. it came back down to around 21+ and when i filled today, my calculated was at 17. 3. i have never had this much error in my caravan computers. (the last 3 had em). can the display be recalibrated??? maybe this is just much ado about nothing. after all, i didn't buy this thing for mileage. it would just be nice if it was more accurate so i didnt have to do the actual calculation on every fill. i do watch mileage as an indication if something might be going wrong.



even at 17. 3 it really ticks off the guys at work with gas engines that are getting 10-12 mpg and they dont have the pickup of this truck. heck, it aint even broke in yet!!!!



jim

 

[StephenThomas]

I've yet to hand calculate my fuel mileage, but I will say this... IF I find that the overhead computer is as far off as many of you are saying, then I will be taking it to the dealer. The overhead computer is an option that is paid for and it should work as designed! I don't expect perfection, but from what many of you are describing, your computer is WAY off. This is unacceptable imho.

 

[waterdonkey]

My overhead has always been close to what I hand calculate until just recently. I found that you can re-set the fuel mileage on the overhead. I don't know if you can do it with the 3rd gen rigs but on my 2nd gen you scroll to the average mileage and then push both buttons together. I do this now on long trips and has helped the difference between the display and my hand calcs.

 

[Dean Upson]

Originally posted by waterdonkey

My overhead has always been close to what I hand calculate until just recently. I found that you can re-set the fuel mileage on the overhead. I don't know if you can do it with the 3rd gen rigs but on my 2nd gen you scroll to the average mileage and then push both buttons together. I do this now on long trips and has helped the difference between the display and my hand calcs.

You can "zero" out all the readings on the G3's as well. I always do this to all the overhead readings when I fill up. My overhead is usually pretty accurate, but I do not trust it any more than I do my fuel gauge. I think of the whole computer thing as sort of a frill and am pretty satisisfied with a "ball park figure". If it was off consistantly by certain amount, I would just add or subtract that and use it a a guide. I find the compass and the temperature readings the most useful of any of them, the computer came with the package and I doubt that I would have ordered it separately.



Dean

 

[Tony T.]

Originally posted by EB

Tony T

Read your post this morning before I left on a trip to Laredo and decided to ck it.

Going over to get my trailer just running the truck my computer was showing 24mpg at 68 mph, figuring 25% off, I should have been getting 18 mpg with just the truck. I filled up about half way down there and started the mileage ck then. Here are the results.

Loaded miles showing on the computer, 12. 6. Empty miles coming back showed 14. 3. I filled up at the same place on the same pump and the actual mileage was 10. 4. I seldom go any distance with just the truck and my trailer weighs 7000 empty. I run the edge on level 4. I changed it to level 2 after I got back and will ck it there. I have never been able to get the mileage people say they get, but my truck weighs 8200 and my trailer weighs 7000 so I am weighing 15,200 before anything is put on my trailer and like I said, the trailer is behind me 90% of the time. Will keep you posted on the different power settings.

EB: Those posted figures above on my truck are all unloaded figures. Mainly just me in the truck & and every so often two more passengers. Back when I checked it one time (truck mileage was around 4500 miles at that time) pulling a travel trailer weighting around 5300# to 5400# the computer showed 9. 1 mpg average for roughly, a 60 mile trip pulling out of O/D (3rd gear). I did not go fill up when I arrived so I could not hand calculate for actual mileage. I'm like others have said, that overhead computer is just a reference point to go by, but I don't put a whole lot of faith into it. sometimes my mpg's are real close and sometimes off by couple mpg (computer vs. hand calculations). Weather, terrain, tire pressure, and vehicle maintenance have a lot to do with mileage factors. I would say with the weight you have combined (15,200), that if your hand calculating 10-12 mpg, thats good. Oo.

 

[KBennett]

My truck is completely stock.

Whenever I calculate my mileage I go through the "top it off" procedure and then reset the overhead computer.

I have done this a couple of times and my computer has never been off by more than . 2 mpg. I average 17 mpg but I have gotten 21+ unloaded on the highway if I stay under 70.



Like Stephen Thomas said, If you are off by more than 1 mpg and it really bothers you I would take it to the dealer. We all paid way too much to just live with it.